Off topic

[Gern]

Another can of worms for us to play with.

Part of what makes this such an enjoyable place for me to be is the chit chat. It ranges from useful information that may be only vaguely connected to a thread to total lunacy - with lots of funny stuff scattered about. Sad I know, but I even read all the recent posts in the recent Gardener's Question Time spin-off - despite the fact that the only thing I know about plants is that the green bit should be sticking up out of the ground - and I got some useful info regarding my responsibilities as a cat owner. Good stuff for me from what some may consider off-topic chat.

The other side of the coin is of course that sometimes you may have to wade through loads of idle chat in a thread to get to the bit that you really want to see. That extra time can take you away from the bench - maybe in the middle of a build when you need that info you're after - and by the time you've found it, SWMBO has dragged you away for some task or other. And of course not everyone has the same demented sense of humour that some of us possess and find the interruptions to an informative thread annoying.

Having said that, I will sometimes skip through posts which are discussing serious issues which do not interest me - maybe things like when did this equipment first see service or what's the difference between a Mk 1 and a Mk 2? That's meat and drink to lots of folks, but to me if it says Mk 2 on the box then that's good enough. I guess that makes me a dabbler rather than a serious modeller but that's OK. We all approach our hobbies our own way, and this forum thankfully treats us all the same.

Having to scroll through lots of informative posts to find what I want - two pages of posts discussing when the Mk 1 was replaced by the Mk 2 when all I want to find out is what glue was used to fix the canopy - could be just as annoying to me as scrolling through two pages of Yoda impersonations to determine that the only possible start date to a Star Wars GB is May 4th is to others.

I don't know what the answer is, but I do know we need both elements - the useful information and the chit chat - to keep this the best forum around.

Edit: Mike (Scratchbuilder) posted some relevant stuff in the "Crows" thread while I was writing this.

[Waspie]

Agree 100%. Time and place for everything. Chit chat, Mk1/2/3/4/5/6. Everything matters to someone! I started the garden thread because I know there are some folk on here who seem to be knowledgable about grass, weeds and flowers. Whereas me!! I know sod all. (no pun intended). So if I don't know - I ask!!
To be honest, I thought the idea of the Chit Chat section was that you could discuss non model related subjects.

[Jim R]

Well said Dave. I get a great deal from the forum. Advice and encouragement. I also really enjoy the banter and friendship. OK if I spent the time I spend on the forum at the bench my glacial modelling would speed up but l would be the loser.
The members of this forum have the balance of posts just right.

[Neil Merryweather]

For what it's worth I don't mind any amount of digression from the subject, I can skip through it or ignore it. To be honest I find the off-topic 'policing' somewhat puritanical and that offends me more than the digression.
There I've said it out loud now.
It doesn't upset me so much that I would throw my toys out of the pram and flounce off this excellent forum like some have in the past, but I do think there is a place for some silliness and fun, as well as genuine discussion.
I have withheld my opinion all these years but this does at least seem to be the appropriate place to express it

[Waspie]

We have a loverly term on another non modelling forum I frequent for 'wandering' off topic. Colouring!!! or Crayoning!! I have no objection to deviation of the colouring kind on threads initiated by myself. But do accept some are and would rather it be kept on topic. I respect that.

[Ian M]

I'm fine with chat in threads, If the OP is happy with it. I have seen a few posts where the OP has tried to get things back on topic.
I do though get rather disappointed that in threads where the OP has stated NO CHIT CHAT it happens anyway. Not that big a problem, it just gets deleted.
So Dave, if you get sent off at a tangent by chatter in a thread you have started, just ask them to stop.

[Dave Ward]

I'm happy with threads wandering - It doesn't take too much effort to work out if a post isn't relevant, or interesting, and skip it - if the threads get a bit long? at least the posts are being read & getting a response! Of course there are limits, but I think most members do recognise this - if they don't - what are moderators for?
Going off topic can reveal some interesting insights into other members interests & thoughts...............
Dave

[Guest]

Another can of worms for us to play with.

Part of what makes this such an enjoyable place for me to be is the chit chat. It ranges from useful information that may be only vaguely connected to a thread to total lunacy - with lots of funny stuff scattered about. Sad I know, but I even read all the recent posts in the recent Gardener's Question Time spin-off - despite the fact that the only thing I know about plants is that the green bit should be sticking up out of the ground - and I got some useful info regarding my responsibilities as a cat owner. Good stuff for me from what some may consider off-topic chat.

The other side of the coin is of course that sometimes you may have to wade through loads of idle chat in a thread to get to the bit that you really want to see. That extra time can take you away from the bench - maybe in the middle of a build when you need that info you're after - and by the time you've found it, SWMBO has dragged you away for some task or other. And of course not everyone has the same demented sense of humour that some of us possess and find the interruptions to an informative thread annoying.

Having said that, I will sometimes skip through posts which are discussing serious issues which do not interest me - maybe things like when did this equipment first see service or what's the difference between a Mk 1 and a Mk 2? That's meat and drink to lots of folks, but to me if it says Mk 2 on the box then that's good enough. I guess that makes me a dabbler rather than a serious modeller but that's OK. We all approach our hobbies our own way, and this forum thankfully treats us all the same.

Having to scroll through lots of informative posts to find what I want - two pages of posts discussing when the Mk 1 was replaced by the Mk 2 when all I want to find out is what glue was used to fix the canopy - could be just as annoying to me as scrolling through two pages of Yoda impersonations to determine that the only possible start date to a Star Wars GB is May 4th is to others.

I don't know what the answer is, but I do know we need both elements - the useful information and the chit chat - to keep this the best forum around.

Edit: Mike (Scratchbuilder) posted some relevant stuff in the "Crows" thread while I was writing this.

Wow!!!! Dave so that is what plants look like :tears-of-joy: I fully agree with what you have said, sometimes it can be an absolute pain when looking for an answer or to get to the meat of the subject.
What it says on the box to me is a guide, and looking at your past work does not make you a dabbler - dabblers are on that other well known forum...
But I agree we have to keep our sense of humour, and if it gets too far out of hand then I am sure our Mods would step in and calm us down with a cold wet sponge...
So long as the banter remains banter then I am all for it, but once it gets personal, then I and others will be the first to point out their problem. We have had a couple in the past and thankfully they have found a forum that caters for their taste.
But above all we are hear to enjoy fun, laughter and modelling.
Mike.

[Guest]

I'm happy with threads wandering - It doesn't take too much effort to work out if a post isn't relevant, or interesting, and skip it - if the threads get a bit long? at least the posts are being read & getting a response! Of course there are limits, but I think most members do recognise this - if they don't - what are moderators for?
Going off topic can reveal some interesting insights into other members interests & thoughts...............
Dave

It's those other 'interests'that can be worrying Dave... :rolling:. But agreed you can find subjects that you would never have thought of, and expand your mind at the same time.

[AlanG]

Ok i'll bite.

I'm all for a bit of banter and some 'wondering' off-topic as long as it comes back onto topic in a decent amount of time/posts (depending on threads). What i personally don't like is when it is just total BS chit chat and people ignore a polite nudge from the admin/mods. It's blatantly disrespectful.

I mentioned the 'Spots on the Internet' thread previously because the very FIRST post written by John (the forum owner by the way), tells everyone "A new year, a new thread. Please no chit chat. A single comment is acceptable. Once it starts going back and forth then it's going to get deleted. If you want to discuss a post with the OP message them!"

And yet it is sometimes ignored.

We (admin/mods) also get reports from OPs asking for posts to be deleted from threads due to users chit chatting on their threads. They don't want it on them and yet some users take it upon themselves to divert the OPs thread. So whilst it is nice to have an open forum, maybe, just maybe. Sometimes users need to back off and stop thinking everything is a free for all.

I'm not trying to come across as a killjoy. Far from it. But maybe sometimes users need to dial it back.

[Guest]

I’m all for topic drift — you get interesting discussions that way, whether it’s about a tangentially related subject or something entirely different. Being told to stay on topic or else! is something I very much dislike, as it feels stifling. The discussion usually eventually wanders back to the original topic anyway, if only because the sidestep has stepped its course.

What I normally skip over is all the banter about biscuits, front-row seats, Matron, etc. This feels to me like talking about nothing in order to say something. But as some people do appear to enjoy it, who am I to say they should shut up about it?

[Gern]

Whereas me!! I know sod all. (no pun intended).

I think that pun should have been deliberate! :smiling:

[Gern]

Some good stuff here. I gotta say that even if there is a list of posts on a given thread which have no interest to me, I'll gladly accept that since I get so much value from the site - and whatever the list is about, someone here is interested or the thread would die. Who am I to deny interesting or entertaining stuff to others?

I think we've got a good balance between the serious stuff and chit chat which works for us all. Sometimes through our own restraint - most topics within a thread seem to die out once we've had enough - and sometimes as a result of a cold wet sponge dropped down the back of our neck.

[langy71]

Agree 100%. Time and place for everything. Chit chat, Mk1/2/3/4/5/6. Everything matters to someone! I started the garden thread because I know there are some folk on here who seem to be knowledgable about grass, weeds and flowers. Whereas me!! I know sod all. (no pun intended). So if I don't know - I ask!!
To be honest, I thought the idea of the Chit Chat section was that you could discuss non model related subjects.

sod all... I see what you did there..lol

[langy71]

We have a loverly term on another non modelling forum I frequent for 'wandering' off topic. Colouring!!! or Crayoning!! I have no objection to deviation of the colouring kind on threads initiated by myself. But do accept some are and would rather it be kept on topic. I respect that.

no fear of 'crayoning or colouring' from me, as an ex squaddie we all know that we tend to end up eating said crayons anyway...(Chris 52, lover of the strawberry or red crayons)